There's going to be quite the love drama in this chapter. I hope you'll like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 54: Love, Pokémon Style
I was so nervous to check the list of Trainers who passed the Screening. I feared for the worst and didn't want to find my picture, but my eyes traveled down the list of forty-eight Trainers who advanced to the Silver Conference and could participate in tomorrow morning's opening ceremony.
"Let's see… Where are we?" Ash mumbled next to me.
"I see my picture!" Gary exclaimed, pointing at his photo on the screen.
"I'm there too", Ritchie said.
I spotted our rivals' pictures and felt even more nervous I thought I was soaking my pants. I couldn't bear to look any longer, so I bowed my head down ready to accept the truth.
"Wait!" Ash called out. "There we are, Ashley!"
"H-Huh?" I looked up in time to see his and my pictures on the list. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. "T-That's really me…?"
"Yes, Ashley", Ritchie smiled. "You passed the Screening."
"Pika pika pi!" Sparky chirped from his shoulders.
I sighed in relief and leaned my head on Ash's free shoulder. "Thank Arceus…"
Ash chuckled and caressed the back of my head. "You worried a little too much there, Ashley."
"Hey, look!" Misty pointed at another picture. "Harrison made it too."
"Oh yeah, he did say he was participating too", Brock nodded.
"Harrison?" Ritchie blinked confusedly.
"We met him by the Ho-Oh Shrine couple of days ago and we worked together to get the Sacred Flame after dealing with a wild Sneasel", Ash explained. "He's from Hoenn so he must have some rare Pokémon we haven't seen yet."
"Pika pikachu", Pikachu nodded while he nuzzled me.
"Hoenn, huh…", Gary hummed. "That's a region on south of the planet."
The large screen changed to a live footage of Mr. Goodshow in an office, so everyone in the reception became quiet. "I'd like to congratulate everyone who has come to join us at the Silver Conference this year. Each one of you fought well together with your Pokémon in the Trainer Screening, so give yourselves a round of applauds!"
The whole room echoed as we all clapped our hands to give our respects to those Trainers who didn't make it. They shouldn't feel excluded from the Silver Conference after coming so far.
"The Silver Conference will officially begin tomorrow, so let me explain to you who advanced to the semi-finals how the tournament will proceed. You will be divided into groups of three Trainers for each block and battle each other to earn points. The Trainer who earns most victory points from a block advances to the Victory Tournament. Only sixteen participants may advance, so make sure to do your very best to make it to the finals. And don't forget to have fun with your Pokémon! See you all tomorrow!"
The screen shut down and the Trainers scattered away to make their last preparations for the battles tomorrow. "Wow, this League is completely different from the Kanto League", Ash commented.
"Pika pika", Pikachu nodded.
"Yes, in the Kanto League, we had to win four battles, one each on the different terrains", I said, remembering how things were back in my first Pokémon League.
"Of course it's different!" Gary sneered. "Did ya expect the Leagues were all the same in each region? That wouldn't make things exciting."
"That makes me all hyped up to challenge every League!" Ash exclaimed, clenching his hand into a fist with a determined gleam. "But first, I'm going to win the Johto League by defeating all of you!"
"Including your sister, Ash?" Ritchie wondered.
Ash froze for a mere second before he turned to me. I was a little reluctant thinking about battling my twin brother in the finals. We were both Trainers but also rivals at the same time.
"We'll cross the bridge when we get there", Ash replied.
That was new phrase I've never heard before. "What bridge?"
"Cross the bridge means we should deal with a problem when it arises, rather than trying to solve it in advance", Misty explained.
"So we're not going to cross an actual bridge?" I asked.
"Correct", Brock nodded.
"Well, I'm gonna cross the bridge with ease and defeat every opponent in my block!" Gary puffed his chest out.
Ritchie chuckled at his enthusiasm. "My Pokémon and I won't go easy on you three either."
"Same here!" Ash nodded. "We're gonna give our all and crush the League!"
"Yes, we will", I nodded slowly.
XXXXXXXXXX
I couldn't fall asleep that night. My thoughts kept circling around the Silver Conference. There were so many different scenarios forming in my head about the outcome of my battles. Was I going to lose in the semi-finals? Or make it past my block and advance to the Victory Tournament?
I gave up sleeping and quietly got off my bed. Maybe some fresh air could ease my mind and make me fall asleep. I did need all my strength for my first battle in the semi-finals. I grabbed my jacket and quietly opened the bedroom door when my brother spoke up. "Ashley…?"
I turned around and saw he sat up on his bunk bed rubbing his eyes. "Sorry… Did I wake you up…?" I whispered.
"Not really… Can't sleep either…?" Ash spoke softly.
"No…"
Ash put his jacket and cap on while Pikachu also woke up from his slumber. Together we walked out to the cold November night. We were far up north of Mt. Silver, so the temperature was low enough to see our breaths in front of us.
"It's so weird thinking about how far we've come", Ash began speaking as we walked next to a lake.
"Yeah…", I nodded. "It almost feels like it was yesterday we became Trainers and set off on our journey. It's hard to believe we're about to battle in our second Pokémon League."
"Yeah, with each League, we're getting more experience for the future. And we're getting lots of friends along the road, right, Pikachu?"
Pikachu nodded while he walked next to us. "Pika pika."
"Do you think…we're changing, Ash?" I wondered.
"What do you mean, Ashley?" Ash asked.
I looked up at the full silver moon in the sky. "I sometimes feel like I'm stuck in the way I've always been. There's still so much I don't know for my age…that I feel quite embarrassed with myself. Does that affect me as a Trainer?"
My brother gently grasped my hands. "I think you've changed a lot, Ashley. You might not see it, but I do. You've become a much stronger person than you were last year. As your brother, I'm proud of you."
Hearing those kind words eased my worries about my own evolution. It was hard noticing the changes myself, so I was happy hearing from my brother and friends that I was indeed taking small steps forward.
We soon stumbled upon Gary who sat by the lake and watched the moon. He noticed us as soon as we came closer. "Hey, guys. Can't sleep?"
"No, not really", I confessed right away.
"What about you, Gary?" Ash wondered while we sat down next to him, with me in the middle.
"Same as you two", our childhood friend replied. "My mind's on lots of things right now. Do you two remember we had a full moon the night before we started our journey?"
"Did we?" Ash blinked.
"I don't remember that", I shook my head.
"I was up for a long time watching the silver moon like now", Gary said. "I could barely fall asleep 'cause I was so excited to leave Pallet Town and go on a journey to learn more about Pokémon."
"Yeah, we were up late that night too and watched a rerun of Professor Oak's program", Ash nodded eagerly. "Boy, I had a hard time choosing between Bulbasaur and Squirtle as my first Pokémon."
"Truth to be told, I wanted to pick Charmander", Gary confessed. "But I let you have it, Ashley, since I knew you love dragons."
"Really?" I exclaimed, surprised to know the fact that Gary was considerate back then when he was a big bully.
Gary nodded with a gentle smile. "I was a jerk back then, but I didn't want to crush your dreams by choosing Charmander."
"That…was very kind of you", I mumbled while I hugged my legs, hiding my soft pink cheeks on my knees.
"My journeys through Kanto and Johto have given me a lot", Gary said while he glanced back at the moon. "I took myself for granted and didn't care much about other people's feelings until I got a taste of my own medicine when you defeated me in the Kanto League, Ashley."
I nodded. "I feel like it was at that point I could finally accept what you put me through and move on. I just…wanted to defeat you at something so I wouldn't feel like a loser anymore."
Gary bowed his head deeply. "Ashley, I'm truly sorry for what I've done to you as kids. But…there was a reason behind it."
"What reason?" I wondered. I was surprised to hear he had a reason behind all the bullying he put me through. Was he ordered by somebody to harass me?
Gary glanced at my brother who had an odd grimace on his face, but our rival clearly was able to read it. "Well… I don't feel ready to tell you now, Ashley. You think you can wait for that after the Conference?"
I tilted my head to the side. He appeared nervous and had a soft hint of pink on his cheeks. "Sure…?" I nodded.
Gary's face blossomed into a wide smile. "Great! Can't wait for that! But, like I said before, this League means a lot to me. I've been thinking a lot about my future."
"Your future?" Ash repeated.
"Yeah, like what do I want to do as a Trainer? Do I want to continue down the path to become a Pokémon Master, or do I want to do something entirely different? Pokémon have always fascinated me and I admire my gramps a lot for his research. I'm still young, so I can change my dreams into something completely different."
Ash and I shared a glance. Was Gary thinking about a new goal he had found? "Gary-"
"I know I'll have my mind clear and set once I'm in the finals", Gary interrupted my brother. "And I'm gonna do that by crushing you two!"
"Now you sound like the Gary I know!" Ash grinned. "Don't think I'm gonna let you get to first place, 'cause I'm gonna be the real winner of this League!"
"And I'll give you a great challenge if we ever meet in the finals", I nodded determinedly.
"I like the sound of that", Gary smirked. "I'll crush you both and that Ritchie!"
"Good luck, 'cause you're gonna need it!" Ash grinned proudly.
We shared a handshake before it was time to go back to the hotel and get some sleep. Ash and Pikachu walked ahead while Gary held me back for a moment. "Hey, Ashley."
"Yes?"
Gary rubbed the back of his head with a concerned expression. "Do you perhaps…like Ritchie?"
"Yes, I do", I nodded. His reaction was immediate, face turning pale like he had seen a ghost. "He's a really good friend and he respects me and my difficulties."
The color on Gary's cheeks returned including a tiny smile. "Oh… So he's just a friend to you?"
"Yes…?" I said, not getting what Gary was implying. "Why are you asking?"
"No reason!" Gary retorted and turned away to clear his throat. "You should get some sleep! G'night!"
I was confused by his reaction, but I decided to let it go. I could worry about that after the Pokémon League. "Okay. Good night, Gary."
XXXXXXXXXX
The opening ceremony went off without any interruptions. The torch runner made it to the central torch and lit it up with the Sacred Flame of Ho-Oh, causing the stadium to erupt into a roar of cheers. It hurt my ears, so I covered them until everyone calmed down. Mr. Goodshow held a speech before the forty-eight Trainers scattered off to do their own things while waiting for the announcement of the next step of the Silver Conference.
One hour later, they announced the division of Trainers in their specific block. We hurried to the Pokémon Center to check the digital bulletin board. "Where are we?" Ash wondered.
"You're in Division H, Ash", Misty pointed at the section with Ash's picture in the middle with two pictures of his upcoming opponents.
"Pika pika!"
"I found Gary in Division B", I called out. "But where am I?"
"There!" Brock pointed at my group. "You're in Division K with…Ritchie?"
My eyes widened when I saw my picture next to Ritchie's. We were already going to battle each other? I expected to battle him in the Victory Tournament, not in the semi-finals.
"I guess your long-awaited battle with Ritchie is here now, Ashley", Misty smiled.
"Togiprii!"
"Y-Yeah, I guess so…", I blushed light and curled a strand of my hair around my finger.
Brock grabbed his guidebook to read some details. "Let's see… Since there are sixteen blocks, the semi-finals are divided into three days starting tomorrow. It's a round-robin style tournament, so one win gives you three points. A loss is zero and a draw is one point. And the Trainer who earns the highest point of their division gets a spot in the Victory Tournament. Just like the Kanto League, the Johto League lasts in ten days with the final day having the closing ceremony."
"Okay, but how do we know who we are going to battle?" Ash wondered.
"How about asking Nurse Joy?" Misty suggested.
Ash and I walked to the counter and asked Nurse Joy for information. Of course, Brock attempted to flirt with her, but Misty pulled him away before he could make the poor nurse uncomfortable. My brother learned his first opponent was this girl called Macy. My first opponent was actually Ritchie. It made me a little nervous; I didn't feel ready yet to battle him, but rules were the rules. Every room at the hotel where we were saying had a computer where Trainers could look up information of other Trainers for their upcoming battles and try predicting what Pokémon they might use.
We walked back to the hotel when we stumbled upon Ash's opponent Macy and her Vulpix. She was a girl around our age with a baby-like face and her hair braided into a pair of pigtails. "Halt! You must be my opponent, Ashton, right?"
"Yeah, that's me!" Ash replied eagerly. "And you are Macy?"
"That's right!" Macy said. "I want to see what I'm up against, so I'd like to challenge you to a one-on-one battle!"
"Wait, is that really such a smart idea?" Misty stepped in. "You two are going to battle tomorrow!"
"That's why I suggest we battle with one Pokémon each that we won't use in the tournament!" Macy explained. "I won't use Vulpix for the official battle, but she needs more battle experience!"
"If that's the case, then Pikachu will be the perfect coach!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off my brother's shoulders and stood ready to battle. Vulpix barked when she ran forward to get into position.
However, before anyone could commence the battle, a pair of nets came out of nowhere and snatched Pikachu and Vulpix! "Hey! Who did that?!" Macy yelled. A couple of familiar laughter gave us the answer with a certain trio pestering us.
"Prepare for trouble, we've got a catch!" Jessie laughed while holding the net with Pikachu.
"Double trouble, thanks for the snatch!" James chuckled with the other net carrying Vulpix.
"Meowth, good luck with your match!" Meowth cackled while sitting on the back of a bike for three people.
"Team Rocket!" we yelled angrily at them.
"Give me back Vulpix!" Macy demanded.
"Not today! Bye-bye!" Team Rocket sang as they got on the bike and cycled away. The hotel rested on the top of a hill, so they swiftly rode down the slope, giving them a huge advantage.
"Stop!" Macy yelled.
"They're not gonna get away with this!" Ash growled and threw his Fast Ball, calling out Dunsparce. "Dunsparce, use Dig to intercept Team Rocket!"
"Duduun!" Dunsparce hissed before he disappeared from sight by digging underground.
Ash jumped over the edge and ran down the rocky slope. "We can catch up to them like this!"
"Okay!" Macy called and ran down the slope. However, she lost her balance and rolled down the hill with her whole body.
"Macy!" Misty and Brock yelled after her.
I didn't hesitate to run after my brother and the girl who couldn't stop herself from rolling. Ash caught her, but that resulted with him getting launched into a rock which thankfully stopped them from rolling even further.
"Ash! Macy!" I shouted as I reached them. "Are you okay?!"
"Yeah, I'm okay!" Ash nodded and turned to Macy who was in his arms. "What about you, Macy?"
"I… I'm fine", Macy replied softly with a red flush.
Ash put her down before he got up. "You stay here! Ashley and I'll take care of Team Rocket!"
"Right!" I nodded.
We ran down the slope with a firm grip on our shoes so we wouldn't end up rolling down like Macy. We were meters away from Team Rocket when Dunsparce dug up from the ground and blocked their path.
"Dunsparce, stop them with Earthquake!" Ash yelled.
"Duduun!" Dunsparce jumped up and landed on the ground so hard it caused tremors. Team Rocket lost control of their bicycle so they crashed with Pikachu and Vulpix still trapped in the net.
"Axel, use Night Slash to cut the net!" I shouted as I threw his Poké Ball.
"Scytheeer!" Axel hissed when he came out. He flew toward the net and cut them apart, freeing Pikachu and Vulpix. They ran to us while Axel and Dunsparce covered them in case Team Rocket was to recover.
"You picked the wrong day messing with us, Team Rocket!" Ash yelled. "Pikachu, blast them away with Thunderbolt!"
"PikaCHUUU!" Pikachu launched a Thunderbolt and electrocuted the evil trio, adding enough force to blast them up and away into the sky like always.
"NO FAAAAiiir…!"
"Is everybody okay?" I asked while I checked Vulpix for injuries.
"Vul!" Vulpix barked with a relieved gleam.
"Ash! Ashley!" Misty and Brock called out when they and Macy reached us.
"You guys okay?" Brock asked.
"Yep, we're just fine", Ash smiled.
"Vulpix!" Macy exclaimed in relief as Vulpix jumped into her arms. "Are you okay, my little sweetie?"
"She's fine, Macy", I said. "Team Rocket didn't lay a single scratch on her."
"Scyyt!" Axel smiled.
Ash crouched down and praised Dunsparce and Pikachu. "You two were great. You okay, Pikachu?"
"Chaa!" Pikachu purred delightfully.
"Duduun!" Dunsparce hissed happily.
"You were great too, Axel. Your aim has gotten much better", I caressed his head, giggling lightly when his fur touched my skin.
"Scytheer…", Axel hissed with a smile.
A deep sigh erupted from Macy's lips. She looked like she was in a pleasant dream even though she was wide awake. "So dreamy and caring and courageous…"
"Excuse me?" I asked.
Macy ignored me and walked to my brother with her expression looking the same as Brock whenever he flirted with girls. "You risked your life for me, Ash! How can I ever thank you?"
Ash lightly flinched when the brunette grasped his hands, but he laughed the awkwardness away with a sheepish smile. "I just did what anyone would do when their Pokémon gets kidnapped."
"I just love the fiery passion you have for Pokémon!" Macy continued, using phrases that Brock always spoke to girls. "You are just my type!"
A growl came from Misty. She did her best to hold herself back, but it was obvious she didn't like the way Macy spoke to my brother. I stepped back with Axel and stood next to Brock just in case something else was about to happen.
"Let me thank you by treating you to lunch!" Macy insisted.
Ash's eyes brightened when he heard the magic word. "Lunch?"
That was the last drop for Misty. She rushed to the duo and karate chopped Macy's hands off Ash's. "Excuse me, but Ash is booked!"
"Oh yeah?" Macy retorted annoyingly. "And who are you to say that?"
"I said that because I'm Ash's coach!" Misty explained before she got into a pose like models did. "And I'm the famous water-type Gym Leader from Cerulean City! Misty is my name!"
Macy didn't look so excited by the fact she was talking to a Gym Leader. "Uh-huh. Water Pokémon suck."
"What's wrong with them?!" Misty growled.
"What's right about them?" Macy argued, not intimidated by the redhead's aggressive demeanor. "I prefer the heat and passion from fire Pokémon! By the way, are you, by any chance, his girlfriend?"
Misty flinched back by the assumption with her cheeks blossoming into a bright red color. "N-No, I'm not his girlfriend."
"Then that means he's free!" Macy cheered.
"No, he's not!" Misty retorted. "He needs to prepare for your battle tomorrow!"
"That reminds me!" Ash gasped in realization. "I've gotta go and prepare my team for the battle! Sorry, Macy, but let's have that lunch another time! See you later!"
Macy switched her attitude into a sweet girl in no time and waved to my brother while he ran ahead to the hotel. "Of course, Ash! Let's save that lunch date for later! I'll see you on the battlefield, my darling!"
Misty angrily gritted her teeth at the love struck girl's comment. Brock hummed amusingly and rubbed his chin. "I guess Misty's got some competition now."
"What do you mean, Brock?" I asked.
"It's better if Misty tells you about it…if she feels for it."
XXXXXXXXXX – Ash's POV
After analyzing Macy's Pokémon on the computer in our hotel room, I came up with a three-team party that I registered with the help of Brock. I wanted to use many Pokémon I caught in Johto as possible to let them have the same experience of competing in Pokémon Leagues like my other Pokémon. So my team consisted of Croconaw, Dunsparce and Phanpy. The majority of Macy's Pokémon was fire-type, but she had an Electabuzz to cover the water weakness, so that was why I added Dunsparce since he could use a few ground-type moves.
Macy and I were now in the middle of our battle, both down to our last Pokémon; her Quilava versus my Dunsparce. Both of them fought earlier, so they were on equal level of health.
"Quilava, use Flame Wheel!" Macy yelled.
"Quiiil!" Quilava howled before it curled into a fiery ball and rolled toward Dunsparce.
"Dunsparce, dodge it with Dig!" I shouted.
"Duduun!" Dunsparce immediately dug underground and missed Quilava's attack. The fire Pokémon uncurled itself and looked around trying to predict where Dunsparce would come up from.
"Dunsparce, Hyper Drill!" I shouted.
The ground collapsed under Quilava's feet before Dunsparce ejected himself up and struck it with his drill shaped tail. Quilava flipped in midair and landed on its four paws, but it flinched in pain due to a bruise on one of its hind legs.
"Quilava!" Macy shouted concernedly.
"Now's our chance, Dunsparce!" I shouted. "Use Earthquake!"
"Duduun!" Dunsparce bounced down on the ground making it rumble like an earthquake. Quilava howled as it landed on its belly after it lost its balance.
"Quilava, get up and use Quick Attack!" Macy called.
"Quil!" Quilava got up as soon as the tremors ended and dashed at Dunsparce, tackling him backwards.
"Spaar!" Dunsparce howled as he crashed on the ground.
"Dunsparce, you okay?!" I yelled worriedly.
"D-Duun…!" Dunsparce hissed while he pushed himself up.
"You can do it, Dunsparce! I believe in you!" I shouted, determined that he wasn't ready to give up just yet.
"Duun!" Dunsparce nodded.
"Not if I burn you with my passion!" Macy shouted. "Quilava, use Flame Wheel!"
"Dunsparce, stop Quilava with Screech!" I shouted.
Quilava curled itself into a fiery ball once again and rolled toward Dunsparce. Dunsparce stood his ground and released a loud screech that sounded like nails scratching a blackboard. The soundwaves struck Quilava which forced it to stop rolling and uncurling itself to cover its sensitive ears.
"Quilava!" Macy shrieked.
"Dunsparce, end this with Hyper Drill!" I yelled.
Dunsparce used his power to control the air current around him and led them to his drill tail. He threw himself toward Quilava with the tail aimed at it.
"Quilava, stop Dunsparce with Flamethrower!" Macy shouted.
Quilava recovered swiftly from the Screech move and breathed a thick fire beam at Dunsparce.
"Drill through the fire, Dunsparce!" I shouted.
Dunsparce split the flame apart with his tail without getting burned. Quilava barely had time to dodge the Hyper Drill, so it got knocked down by it. Dunsparce hissed as he backed away from the fallen Pokémon, keeping an eye on his opponent.
The referee inspected Quilava's condition before he raised the green flag. "Quilava is unable to battle! Dunsparce wins! The winner of the first battle of the H-Division is Ashton Ketchum!"
"Alright!" I cheered happily and rushed to Dunsparce to give him a hug. "You were awesome, Dunsparce!"
"Duun!" Dunsparce smiled before his body started glowing. I was caught off guard and moved back to give him space while his body became longer.
"What's this, folks?! It appears Dunsparce is evolving!"
The stadium got quiet until Dunsparce finished evolving. Not much did actually change, but his body grew longer with two additional round torsos. "Duduuunsparce!"
"Wow! Dunsparce has gained enough experience to evolve into a Dudunsparce, and it's the rare Three-Segment Form! Could this be a good omen for Ashton's future in the Silver Conference?"
"I can't believe you evolved into a Dudunsparce!" I smiled and gave him another big hug. "Congratulations!"
"Duduuun!" Dudunsparce hissed happily and nuzzled me.
"Hey, Ash!" Macy called as she walked to me. "Thanks for a great battle. I haven't been that fired up for a while. You really can bring the passion out from your opponents! You're just the man I thought you were!"
"Thanks, Macy", I smiled. "You were great too! I learned a lot from your Pokémon."
"Me too!" Macy nodded. "And congratulations to your Dunsparce's evolution!"
XXXXXXXXXX – Ashley's POV
Just like with Ash, Brock helped me analyze Ritchie's data and his Pokémon. We found out he had obtained two new Pokémon we hadn't seen him use before; an Eevee and a Taillow. And his Zippo the Charmeleon had evolved into a Charizard. It was hard selecting my three Pokémon, but I got it in the end.
It was my turn now to battle Ritchie. We stood in our corners of the battlefield waiting to get the signal to commence the battle. The wheel was already spinning for who was going to send their first Pokémon out. "Welcome to the C-Stadium where the next semi-final match of the K-Division is about to begin! The Trainer who calls their Pokémon first is Richard Sands from Frodomar City battling Ashley Josephine Ketchum from Pallet Town!"
"Let's have a great battle, Ashley!" Ritchie yelled across the field.
"Yeah!" I nodded, bracing myself to call out my first Pokémon.
"Let the match begin!" the referee declared and raised both his flags to commence the battle.
Ritchie didn't hesitate on calling out his first Pokémon. "I choose you, Cruise!"
"Pupitaar!"
"Cruise, huh? Then I'm gonna choose Sora!" I shouted as I threw her Poké Ball.
"Kyruuuh!" Sora chirped when she exited the capture device.
"A Dragonair!" Ritchie's eyes widened in awe. "You finally got one, Ashley!"
"Yes, I did! And she's ready to go!" I nodded with a smile. "Sora, trap Cruise with Twister!"
"Kyruuuh!" Sora flew around Cruise while creating a twister that trapped him inside of it.
"Cruise, cancel that Twister with Sandstorm!" Ritchie yelled.
Sora flew back while the twister turned light brown by the Sandstorm Cruise summoned. The twister broke apart by the force of the sandstorm, creating a thick screen of sand in which I could barely see through no matter how much I squinted. I covered my mouth and nose to not inhale the polluted air, but I had no way shielding my eyes. I needed them to see the battlefield.
"Sora!" I coughed when I accidently swallowed some sand. "Where are you?!"
A faint blue light glowed in the middle of the sandstorm. "Kyruuuh!"
"Stay where you are! Return, Sora!" I recalled her and switched Poké Balls now that I got an idea to take advantage of this situation. "Go, Cedric!"
"Graaawl!" Cedric roared as he entered the battlefield.
"Ladies and gentlemen, for those who can't see in the sandstorm, Ashley has switched her Dragonair for her Tyranitar!"
"Rock Polish, Cedric!" I yelled.
The sandstorm was still so thick I couldn't see Ritchie or his Pupitar. "Cruise!" Ritchie coughed. "Use Earthquake!"
Cedric enveloped his body in a glow that resembled the way a silver spoon glittered after getting polished. At the same time, the ground rumbled that forced Cedric down on one knee.
"Don't give up, Cedric!" I called. "Strike back with an Earthquake yourself!"
"Graawl!" Cedric straightened himself and stomped the ground, returning the favor to Cruise.
"Pupitaar!" Cruise shrieked from somewhere in the sandstorm.
"Cruise, where are you?!" Ritchie shouted. "Come to the sound of my voice!"
I figured Ritchie wanted to recall Cruise, but he couldn't see his Pokémon in the polluted air. "Quick, Cedric! Use Earthquake again!"
Cedric raised one of his feet and stomped the ground making it rumble for the third time. Cruise shrieked in pain when the earth quaked, a sign that he got affected by the super effective move.
"Cruise, if you can still move, use Payback!" Ritchie yelled.
"Keep your eyes open, Cedric!" I shouted through my covered mouth. "Cruise can attack from any direction!"
"Graaawl!" Cedric roared when I heard the sound of clashing rocks. The ground trembled when Cedric fell down to the ground after he clearly got struck by Cruise.
To my dismay, the sandstorm cleared up already. Cruise struggled to stay up, but his eyes glared determinedly at Cedric who laid on his back. "Quick, get up, Cedric!" I shouted.
"Grawl!" Cedric snarled and got up before he rubbed his sore stomach.
"We're almost there, Cruise!" Ritchie yelled. "Use Earthquake!"
"Counter with Earthquake, Cedric!" I shouted.
Both Pokémon stomped the ground and caused it to quake twice as strong. I lost my balance and fell on my knees, enduring the tremors until they finally ended. I snapped up head up when both Cedric and Cruise collapsed on the ground, having knocked each other out.
"Cedric!" I called worriedly.
"Cruise!" Ritchie shouted with a concerned expression.
The referee raised both flags. "Pupitar and Tyranitar are unable to battle! It's a double knockout!"
"Incredible! Both Pokémon knocked each other out with a combination of two Earthquakes!"
I was surprised by the outcome. Cedric was supposed to be stronger than Cruise because he was fully evolved, but Ritchie certainly hadn't been lazy with training his Pokémon. "Return, Cedric", I recalled him to his Poké Ball. "You were great, Cedric. Rest well."
"Your Tyranitar is strong, Ashley", Ritchie called. "I didn't expect a double knockout, though."
"Same, Ritchie", I nodded with a smile before I grabbed another Poké Ball. "But I'm not going easy on you from now on!"
"That's the spirit!" Ritchie nodded and threw his second Poké Ball. "Go, Rose!"
"Go, Sora!" I yelled, calling out my Dragonair.
"Tailloow!"
"Kyruuuh!"
"Ashley has called out her Dragonair while Ritchie's second Pokémon is Taillow! This will turn in an aerial battle!"
"Rose, use Wing Attack!" Ritchie shouted, making the first move.
"Looow!" Rose chirped with her wings glowing white as she flew toward Sora.
"Dodge it, Sora!" I yelled.
Sora elegantly moved her body like she was dancing in the air, dodging Rose's attack.
"Now, attack with Extreme Speed!" I yelled.
"Double Team, Rose!" Ritchie shouted.
Rose created duplicates of herself before Sora flew through one of the illusions, missing the real Taillow. I gritted my teeth in anger at the miss.
"Rose, attack with Aerial Ace!" Ritchie shouted.
The duplicates dissipated when the real Rose flipped in the air and became engulfed in streaks of white light. Sora couldn't avoid the move in time and got struck on the abdomen by Rose's sharp beak.
"Sora, you okay?!" I yelled.
"Kryuuh!" Sora grunted as she remained flying, a small bruise forming on her soft stomach.
"Attack with Extreme Speed again!" I shouted.
"Use Double Team again, Rose!" Ritchie yelled.
Just like last time, Rose created illusions of herself in which Sora flew straight to, but I had kinda expected that to happen.
"Strike every Rose with Aqua Tail, Sora!" I yelled.
Sora summoned water and twirled it around her tail. Without hesitation, she swung her air around, hitting every fake duplicate until she actually landed a hit on Rose. "Looow!" she shrieked as she was thrown to the ground.
"Rose!" Ritchie gasped.
"Now, paralyze Rose with Thunder Wave!" I shouted.
"Kryuuh!" Sora fired a blue lightning bolt from her horn at Rose, making the bird Pokémon shriek as she got paralyzed.
"Rose, can you get up?" Ritchie called worriedly.
Rose struggled to get up on her claws, but somehow she did it despite being paralyzed. "T-Taillow…"
Ritchie scowled before he held up a Poké Ball. "Rose, return!" He recalled Rose and switched to his third Pokémon. "It's your turn, Caramel!"
"Eeveee!" Ritchie's Eevee came out from its Poké Ball.
I was very confused why he decided to switch Pokémon. Did he want to give Rose some rest and recover her energy for the rest of the battle? My humble side took over so I raised Sora's Poké Ball and switched Pokémon as well. "Sora, return! I'm counting on you, Trica!"
"Furreet!" Trica chirped as she entered the field.
"Both Trainers have switched to their third Pokémon! It's now a normal versus normal Pokémon!"
"I'm enjoying our battle, Ashley!" Ritchie grinned which made my heart take an extra leap.
"Me too!" I nodded with a determined glare. "Let's keep battling! Trica, use Secret Power!"
"Fuuur!" Trica gathered her magic energy and released a pink light that transformed into mud. The mud was thrown toward Eevee who stood ready.
"Dodge with Quick Attack, Caramel!" Ritchie shouted.
"Vee!" Caramel jumped to the side, dodging the wall of mud.
"Now, attack with Iron Tail!" Ritchie yelled.
"Eeeee!" Caramel's tail glowed in a metallic sheen as she dashed toward Trica.
"Double Team, Trica!" I shouted.
"Fuur!" Trica swiftly created illusions of herself, hiding amongst her copies. Caramel struck an illusion and threw up some sand in the process. She looked around realizing she was surrounded by dozens of Tricas.
"Trica, use Hyper Voice!" I called.
Trica and her copies inhaled deeply before they released a horribly echoing shout in the shape of a blue beam with blue circles. Caramel had no chance of dodging the assault and was trapped in the Hyper Voice cage. She whimpered as she tried pulling her ears down with her paws while resting on her belly. Pokémon with large ears like Eevees were very sensitive to loud noises, so I had Trica learning Hyper Voice after I came up with my team.
"Caramel!" Ritchie shouted. "Dig down!"
Caramel bit her lips before she started digging underground. The illusions of Trica faded away as she quit using Hyper Voice. She looked around to find her opponent.
"Run around, Trica!" I shouted. "Don't let Caramel hit you!"
"Furreet!" Trica dashed across the field in circles, jumping left and right to confuse Caramel. However, the strategy didn't work. Caramel popped out from the ground straight under Trica's feet and threw her back so she crashed on the field. "Fuur!"
"Trica, are you okay?!" I asked.
"Furr fuur!" Trica jumped straight back up on her legs and hissed angrily at Caramel.
"Eee eevee ee!" Caramel barked in response.
"Caramel, use Quick Attack!" Ritchie shouted.
"Veee!" Caramel dashed toward Trica, her speed increasing for each step.
"Double Team!" I yelled.
Trica made new copies of herself and surrounded Caramel when she came to a halt after failing her move.
"Hyper Voice!" I shouted.
"Caramel, use Dig!" Ritchie yelled.
Trica screamed again, sending visible soundwaves at Caramel, but she dug underground before her poor ears could hurt again. I suddenly got a new idea. "Trica, rush to the hole and use Secret Power inside of it!"
Trica canceled her Double Team and rushed to the newly dug hole. She gathered her energy once again and launched a pink beam into the hole. The ground lightly rumbled before a fountain of muddy water erupted several meters from her. Caramel was ejected from the new hole among the mud, spitting the dirty water out of her mouth.
"Caramel!" Ritchie gasped as his Pokémon crashed on the ground. "Try and get up, Caramel!"
"V-Veee…", Caramel whimpered as she struggled up on her paws.
"Now's your chance, Trica! Use Headbutt!" I shouted.
"Fuurr!" Trica dashed at Caramel and headbutted her before she even had a chance to move. She collapsed and shook in pain while letting out soft whimpers.
The referee checked Caramel and raised the green flag. "Eevee is unable to battle!"
"This leaves now Richard with his last Pokémon
"Great job, Trica!" I praised her. "You were amazing!"
"Furr!" Trica purred happily.
Ritchie recalled Caramel and mumbled something to her before he switched Poké Balls. "Your Furret is really strong, Ashley."
"Thank you, Ritchie", I smiled. "Your Eevee is good too, but I can tell she's a new addition to your team."
"Yes, that's true", Ritchie confessed before he got serious. "But I refuse to go down! Rose, it's up to you!"
"Taillooow!" Rose chirped when she was released. She landed on the ground with her body sparkling lightly, a sign that she was still paralyzed.
I considered keeping Trica out and have her battling Rose, but she would have a huge disadvantage field wise. "Trica, return!" I recalled her to her Poké Ball and switched back to Sora. "Go, Sora!"
"Kyruuuh!" Sora hissed as she flew in the air, glaring threateningly at Rose.
"Loow!" Rose chirped and flew up so she was in eye level with my dragon partner.
"Sora, attack with Aqua Tail!" I shouted.
Sora gathered water that swirled around her tail and swung it toward Rose.
"Double Team, Rose!" Ritchie shouted.
Rose created illusions of herself and dodged the water move. There was a whole horde of Taillows flying around Sora. "Now, use Wing Attack!" Ritchie yelled.
Despite Rose's paralyzing condition, she flew like she wasn't affected by it. The duplicates also helped out and struck Sora left and right. Sora endured the attacks, but it was clear Rose's attack was somewhat stronger than before. When I looked up information, I learned Rose had the ability Guts which increased her strength when affected by a status condition.
The Thunder Wave from before was a risky move, but it could also slow her down a little when she wasn't using Quick Attack.
"Sora, destroy the illusions with Twister!" I shouted.
"Kyruuuuh!" Sora took control of the wind and summoned a twister with her engulfed in the middle where she was safe. The twister expanded and swallowed the duplicates and the real Rose. Rose wailed as she was trapped inside the tornado.
"Rose!" Ritchie shouted worriedly.
I waited for the twister to dissipate and analyze Rose's condition before I could decide the next move. The twister died down, revealing Rose with marks on her feathers barely flying. Sora was unharmed, but her white skin was covered in bruises and scratches from the previous Wing Attack assault.
"Sora, let's end this with Extreme Speed!" I yelled.
"Rose, counter with Aerial Ace!" Ritchie shouted.
Sora flew with her body in a straight line while Rose flipped in the air before flying toward my Pokémon for a head-to-head collision. An explosion erupted at the impact with smoke engulfing both Pokémon. Rose dropped from the smoke like a rock and crashed on the field. Sora levitated down and kept her eyes on Rose. I waited anxiously for the result while the referee checked Ritchie's Pokémon.
"Taillow is unable to battle! Dragonair wins! The winner of the first battle of the K-Division is Ashley Ketchum!"
"And there you have it, folks! Ashley has earned three victory points, taking the lead of the K-Division!"
My heart felt a little tormented. I was happy for the win, but I also felt bad for Ritchie at the same time. I walked to Sora and caressed her muzzle. "You did a great job, Sora. You and the others deserve a large dinner tonight."
"Kyruuh!" Sora purred and nuzzled me, tickling a laugh out of me.
"Ashley", Ritchie called out when he walked to me. "I've had a great time battling you. You really surprised me with your moves."
"Same to you", I nodded, feeling my cheeks warming up by the closeness between us. "I didn't expect Cruise and Cedric knocking each other out."
Ritchie laughed softly. "Yeah, that just shows we are on par", he nodded and raised his hand. "Good luck on your next battle, Ashley. I'm rooting for you."
I smiled and shook his hand, hoping he didn't feel how damp my glove was by sweat. "Good luck on your battle tomorrow too, Ritchie. I'll cheer for you."
XXXXXXXXXX
I still couldn't believe I won against Ritchie. He had such a way on training unevolved Pokémon and bringing the best out of them. It almost felt a little unfair when I battled him with two fully evolved Pokémon, but everyone had a different way and style of training and raising Pokémon.
After a quick trip to the Pokémon Center to heal our Pokémon, Ash, our friends and I walked back to the hotel to get some dinner and rest up for the next day. "Now we've both got three points from our first battles!" Ash smiled widely, but then his expression dropped. "But I'm also sad I might not be able to battle Ritchie in the Victory Tournament."
"It is what it is, Ash", Brock commented. "I'm sure you'll get another chance battling Ritchie in another League."
"I hope so", Ash nodded while he grabbed Dudunsparce's Fast Ball. "And I'm proud of Dudunsparce for evolving."
"I'm so happy you showed Macy how amazing water-type Pokémon are compared to fire Pokémon!" Misty smiled, acting like she was the one who had battled the brunette.
"Ash only used one water-type Pokémon, though", I pointed out.
"Ash! Ash!" Macy called out as she ran toward us, waving her hand in the air while clutching a Poké Ball. "You've gotta look at this!" She called out the Pokémon living in her Poké Ball which was a Magcargo.
"A Magcargo?" Ash blinked. "Did your Slugma evolve?"
"Yep! It did shortly after our battle just like your Dunsparce!" Macy nodded eagerly and hugged her newly evolved Pokémon. "Now we've both got Pokémon that evolved in our battle, so we will always remember each other by our precious passionate bond!"
Misty growled something next to me, but I couldn't hear what she said. Macy recalled her Pokémon and stepped closer to my brother. "Sorry, Ash, but our lunch date must be postponed! My next battle is tomorrow against Vincent, the third Trainer in our block, so I've gotta prepare! If I win, there's a chance I might advance to the Victory Tournament! I'll see you later, sweetie!"
The brunette ran off and waved her hand to us, but mainly my brother. She was a certain kind of character who came and went fast. "She's a force to be reckoned with", Brock said.
"Yeah, but I hope she burns out soon when it comes to Ash", Misty muttered.
"I still wish for her to do her best in the League", I said. I found Macy a little amusing. She had what it takes to be a Pokémon Trainer.
"Seeing her so fired up and determined makes me wanna do my very best!" Ash exclaimed determinedly. "I'm gonna continue winning all my battles until I get to the very top!"
"And I'll be right behind you, Ash!" I smiled and bumped fists with him.
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's party:
Cedric the Tyranitar (male)
Victor the Houndoom (male)
Lily the Espeon (female)
Trica the Furret (female)
Axel the Scyther (male)
Sora the Dragonair (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's Pokémon at the Lab:
Wanda the Gyarados (female)
Aria the Lapras (female)
Kobra the Arbok (male)
Poseidon the shiny Gyarados (male)
Mystic the Togetic (male)
Queendra the Kingdra (female)
Hikaru the Ampharos (male)
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Ashley's roaming Pokémon:
Crystal the Suicune (genderless)
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Ash's party:
Pikachu (male)
Cyndaquil (male)
Dudunsparce (male)
Croconaw (male)
Phanpy (male)
Larvitar (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:
Tauros (male)
Ivysaur (male)
Kingler (male)
Poliwrath (male)
Wartortle (male)
Shiny Noctowl (male)
Heracross (male)
Snorlax (male)
Bayleef (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's roaming Pokémon:
Entei (genderless)
XXXXXXXXXX
Misty's party:
Staryu (genderless)
Psyduck (male)
Togepi (female)
Politoed (male)
Lanturn (female)
Corsola (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Misty's Pokémon in the Cerulean Gym:
Goldeen (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Brock's party:
Geodude (male)
Onix (male)
Crobat (male)
Forretress (male)
Magcargo (male)